Melatonin and the Mammalian Pineal Gland [Hardcover]

This volume provides the reader with an overview of an intriguing and interdisciplinary field of research. For the first time the mammalian pineal gland, its mode of action and its physiological effects are discussed in a comprehensive, single-authored work.Foreword. Melatonin and the mammalian pineal gland. Structure of the pineal gland. Biochemistry of the pineal. Light-dark control of melatonin synthesis. Physiology of the pineal: role in photoperiodic seasonal functions. Role of the pineal gland and melatonin in circadian rhythms. The pineal in human physiology and pathology. Effects of melatonin: therapeutic potential and significance to human health. Target sites and mechanism of action of melatonin. Index.Arendt's book provides the best coverage ever written on melatonin and the pineal gland, covering every possible aspect of the subject. I frankly do not believe that there is any rival publication which matches the scope of this book - Peretz Lavie, Israel Institute of Technology, Israel; A book that I have read with pleasure, that is up-to-date and that betrays the didactic experience of the author - Wop Rietveld, Leiden University, The Netherlands; The book is an excellent reference for undergraduate students and scientists in general. It is a must for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and established investigators in this field - A B Lerner, Yale University, USA; Since the beginning of the modern era of pineal research Josephine Arendt has been a towering figure in the field. She is therefore the perfect author for an authoritative text such as this and she has done an excellent job - British Journal of Psychiatry; Any research institute dealing with psychobiology should have a copy of this book in their library. It is not only the best text available on melatonin and the pineal, it also tells the story of successful science - the step by step elucidation of highly complex relationships between changing physiologicall0